Another Moravec picks up the chant

DAVID CITY - A few of Trev Moravec's teachers back at Aquinas High School might be scratching their heads these days.

They may have heard: Trev is one of the top young auctioneers in the world?

Sure, he was a solid B student, and the versatile sixth man on the Monarchs' 2006 State Basketball championship team.

But a world class auctioneer?

In late July, Moravec, 19, was awarded the title of International Junior Auctioneer Champion at the 58th International Auctioneers Conference and Show in San Diego. He won $1,000. This year's competition was the first time the competition was held before a live audience, about 1,000 people by Trev's estimation.

The adult winners of the International Auctioneers Championship are regarded by the auction industry as being the best in the world.

In its inaugural year, the junior competition was open to the ages of 12 to 21 years. Trev made the top 15 last year.

He recently added best bid caller in the state to his trophy case. He was named the top bid caller at the Nebraska State Auctioneer Association competition in Hastings.

It's unlikely that Aquinas teachers weren't aware of how passionate Moravec is about calling bids at auctions.

It's a small school after all.

Although he's young, Trev is anything but inexperienced in working the floor as a ring man (spotting bidders and calling them out) or the bid caller, who keeps sales going with rapid-fire encouragement to folks who hopefully came to buy.

In his deep, rich voice, Moravec said he isn't letting the awards inflate his ego.

Perhaps that's because his father, 26-year veteran Russ Moravec, had a habit of saying: “You are never going to get anywhere if you think you are already there.”

Moravec Auction Co. LLC of David City is operated by Russ and Diane Moravec. Their three sons, Matt, John and Trev also are involved.

The auctioneers are on the road every week, working the dealer auto auctions in Lincoln and Omaha, and Russ flies to Denver once a week to sell cars in Aurora, Colo..

“We are very proud of him,” Russ Moravec said. “Knowing here for the last couple of years that he is taking it more seriously than he did early on.

“Diane and I both are equally proud. He stepped up to the plate.”

Indeed, Trev had hoped to win the state contest in 2006, 20 years after his father accomplished that feat but had to settle for runner-up.

Trev said that he grew up watching his father and then his brother Matt in action. This gave him some advantages that his father didn't have. Father-son teams are not unusual in the auction world.

“I've been working auctions since I was 5 years old,” Trev said. “I started auctions when I was 15. I sold, but I wasn't good. I did it because my dad wanted me to.”

The World Wide College of Auctioneering in Mason City, Iowa, changed that. At 17, he attended the school and began taking the business more seriously. He tried a little harder when the auctioneer family practiced their rhythm and pace while they drove down the road together.

Keeping the crowd interested is only part of the auction challenge, Trev said. There's also organizing the items to be sold, moving hundreds of items and knowing the value of things and keeping an eye on the crowd and the ring men. People say Trev's eyes “bounce” when he calls bids.

“You've always got to keep the action going. There's a lot of sayings you learn from other guys. You really got to keep the crowd with you at all times,” Trev said.

Trev has seen some items go for outrageously high prices, like $400 for an artsy John Deere button pin. He still begins sales with butterflies in his gut but says those fade quickly.

Then there's the thrill of a happy seller seeing things move.

“There's a feeling of satisfaction in what you have done,” Trev said. “That really is fun when you start pulling things out and things start selling good.”

Trev is attending Southeast Community College in Lincoln to get a business degree, and he's studying for a real estate license. But he doesn't plan to settle in the city.

“I'd like to move back down here. I like this area. I have quite a lot of my classmates that are staying around here. This is a great place to live,” he said.

Knowing what he does about some items, such as antiques, has led to some strange conversations with his friends who, at 19 and 20 aren't too concerned about rare crockery or fine china.

“The weirdest thing is when you are at someone's house, and you are looking in their mom's cabinet, and you say ‘She's got some nice antiques.' (Friends) go: ‘What are you talking about?'”

The family connection has been a big advantage. Russ Moravec said his father Rich Moravec often attended auctions and taught him how to recognize a good auctioneer when he heard one. His grandfather Frank Svoboda was a “horse trader” who made his living by buying and selling livestock, land and other property.

Russ Moravec said he got his big chance working for Marvin and Dick Grubaugh, and also for the late Bob Loshbaugh of Columbus.

Russ said that the “heart and soul” of the auction business is his wife, Diane, who clerks the auctions. Key contributions also come from Jon, who computerized the company.

Auctioneering is an art, Russ Moravec said, like painting or sculpture and “some are more skilled than others.”

Russ entered the field literally by accident. He was severely burned in 1980 and was forced out of farming for a year. He took up auctioneer school and never looked back. Now the family manages a profitable business and good relationships.

“We really get along. We have a squabble, but after every sale we go out and eat. And we pretty much stick together,” Russ said.

For now, that's working well enough for Trev, who plans on sticking with the company. As if a 19-year-old should have to worry about sticking to anything.

And to think, he had considered becoming a pilot.

“He still can,” his father said.